Chairman Bao's Buns Now Served With Side of Controversy

The Chairman Bao Truck, a Chinese steamed bun slinger from Mobi Munch, has had quite the soft-launch. We first heard of the latest addition to the mobile food scene on Wednesday. And then the angries started. On Thursday, Eddie Huang of New York's Baohaus threw bloggy stabs from across the country: "These people straight took the name of my #1 item and set-up shop with it." Here's his menu , where the "Chairman Bao" is indeed listed up top.

Naturally, the Bao Truck people have a response, and it comes via PR person Jane Yuan: "the name, it's a common play on the word, so I think for him to claim it as his own -- he can try, but I think it's going to be hard." And now we have grounds for the blogosphere to launch the tiff into its usual blogospheric proportions. SFoodie's Tamara Palmer boldly faced "the (invisible) picket line" yesterday and decided the thing tastes good, although its probably not as authentic as whatever Huang is cooking up. Keep in mind, the Chairman Bao Truck hasn't even officially launched yet. That's happening in three days at Fort Mason's Make my Monday, although the vendor's Facebook page announces they'll be back at it again soft-opening-wise outside Economy Restaurant Fixtures today at noon: "No Baocott happenin here, just yummy buns." These fun puns have us thinking Huang's rants may have actually backfired. Because the only thing better than a quick and dirty pork bun, is a wanna-be slider with a side of controversy.

· Take a Bao: Dim Sum Day and Night [UrbanDaddy]
· Do Not Support Chairman Bao Truck [Fresh Off The Boat]
· Eddie Huang to the Chairman Bao Truck: "F*ck Yo Couch" [Village Voice]
· As Chairman Bao Truck Launches in S.F., NYC Bao Maker Calls for Boycott [SFoodie]
· Chariman Bao Bun Truck Sighted [Mission Loc@l]
· Chairman Bao is Already Controversial, But is it Worth Fighting Over? [SFoodie]